Electric-bell attachment.



T. C. WILLIAMS.

ELECTRIC BELL ATTACHMENT:

APPLICATION EILED JUNE 2. I916.

Patented Dec. 26, ]916.

I UNITED STATES PATENT oriuon.

THOMAS C. WILLIAMS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE- HALF TO JOHN ROBINSON ELDER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ELECTRIC-BELL ATTACHMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Bell Attachments, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric bells, and more particularly to bellsused on street cars for giving the stopping sig al to the motorman, andhas for its object to provide an improved base or support for theunitary bell structure to which the bell structure may be connecteddetachably without the. necessity for any permanent fastenings, saidconnection automatically completing the circuit to the bell, therebyeliminating the necessity for making the electric connections while thebell structure is being installed in position.

Heretofore in bell structures of this character, which consist of a castiron base ring and the bell proper detachably connected thereto, it hasbeen necessary to remove the bell structure from the base ring in orderthat the latter may be screwed to its support, and after said adjustmenthas been made, it has been necessary to adjust the electricalconnections separately. It follows, therefore, that with a bellstructure of this character when the same is out of order, it requiresconsiderable manipulation to remove the same and to replace it.

It is the object of my present invention materially to simplify theremoval and replacement of the bell structure, as will be hereinaftermore definitely set forth, referencebeing had to the accompanyingdrawmg, in which Figure 1 is atop plan view of a bell structure mountedupon my improved support, a portion. of the bell structure being shownbroken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the bell structureand its support, taken on the line I1--I1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is atransverse sectional view, taken at a right angle to Fig. 2 and on theline Ill-III of Fig. 1, the bell being omitted.

Similar numerals of reference denote cor responding parts in the severalviews.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

Application filed June 2, 1918. Serial No. 101,401.

In the said drawing the bell structure shown is of the conventionaltype, and consists of a bell proper 1 and a cast iron ring 2, the latterhaving formed integral therewlth lugs 3 projecting toward each other andapertured at 4 to receive screws for attaching said base ring to asuitable support. Sa1d bell 1 is detachably mounted upon the base ring 2by means of a central screw 5 in the usual well known manner, and saidbase ring carries the usual magnet 6 for operating the bell clapper (notshown). Bell structures of this type are provided with contact posts 7and 8, through which the wires of the electric circuit are connected tosupply the energy to the magnet 6. The only change over the ordinarybell construction which is found in my improved device is that insteadof employing in the contact post 8 a short screw, such as the screw!) ofthe contact post 7, I employ an elongated screw 10, as clearly shown inFigs. 2 and 3, for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

My improved support 11 for receiving the bell and its base ringcomprises a sheet of metal bent angularly at its ends at 12, andprojected into flanges 13, through which screwsl l are adapted to bepassed to attach said support at any suitable point. The said support isapertured at 15 to receive a spring-plate 16 screwed to an insulatingblock 17, fixed to the inner side of said support 11, as best shown inFig. 3. Also formed integrally upon the outer face of the support 11 arethe angular hooks or seats 18, disposed adjacent to apertures 19 in saidsupport, suitable spring arms 20, riveted to the underside of saidsupport projecting partly through said apertures 19.

The electric circuit for the bell comprises wires 21 and 22, leadingfrom a suitable source of electricity and having interposed in thecircuit thereof one or more normally open push buttons, said wire 21being connected electrically with the spring-plate 16, while the wire 22is in electric connection with the support 11.

In assembling the device, the bell structure comprising the bell 1 andits base ring 2 properly assembled, are brought into conadapted toengage tact with the support 11 with the lugs 3 thereof in alinementwith the open portions of the angular hooks or seats 18 on the support11. By now drawing the bell and base ring toward said hooks 18, the lugs3 will pass beneath said books 18' and will be spring-pressed outwardlyrigidly to engage against said hooks or seats through the spring arms20, in a manner readily understood. With the parts thus brought to theposition shown in Fig. 1, the bell structure will be maintained firmlyin position upon the support 11, and the movement of the bell structureto this position will cause the projecting screw 10 to contact with andslightly-depress the spring-plate 16. This adjustment completes theelectric connection through the support 11 to the bell as follows:through wire 21 to spring-plate 16, to screw 10, to contact post 8 andwire 23 to the magnet 6, and thence through contact post 7, base ring 2,hooks 18 and lugs 4 to the support 11, and from thence through wire 22to the battery.

By myimproved construction, I am able to adjust a bell structure toposition by simply forcing its lugs 3 beneath the hooks 18 of thesupport 11, which automatically completes the electric circuit to thebell structure magnet and places the bell in condition for operation.The advantages of this construction over the manner of attaching thesebell structures heretofore are so obvious as to requirelittleexplanation, it being apparent that when the base ring 2 is screwed toits support, it is necessary to remove the bell 1 in order to manipulatethe screws, and it is necessary further to make the electric connectionsseparately after the base ring'has been positioned.

A further advantage of my improved construction is that when a bellstructure on a street car is found to be out of order, it can be removedin an instant by the conductor or motorman and replaced by the bellstructure at the other end of the car, so that a fresh bell structurecan be supplied instantly to be used until the car can return to thebarn.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a unitary electric bell structure, of a supportfor receiving the same, ments adapted rigidly but removably to engagelugs on the other element to connect said elements.

2. The combination with 'a unitary electric bell structure, of a supportfor receiving the same, hooks on oneof said elements lugs on the otherelement to connect said elements, and spring plates for maintaining saidhooks and lugs in engagement.

7 adapted to engage 'ing the same,

and hooks on one of said ele- 3. The combination with a unitary electricbell structure, of a support for receiving the same, hooks on one ofsaid elements lugs on the other element to connect said elements, andspring plates carried by said hook supporting element for maintainingsaid hooks and lugs inengagement.

4. The combination with a unitary electric bell structure, of a supportforreceivhooks on one of said elements adapted wedgingly to engage lugson the other element to connect said elements, and means forestablishing operative electric connections automatically with said bellthrough the engagement of said elements. I

5. The combination with a unitary elec-' tric bell structure, of asupport for receiving the same, hooks on one of said elements adaptedrigidly to engage lugson the other element to connect said elements, aspring tongue carried by but insulated from said support, a projectionon said bell structure adapted to engage said spring tongue when saidbell structure and support are engaged, and an operative electriccircuit established through said spring tongue and projection to thebell magnet and from said bell magnet through the bell base and support.

6. Thecombination of a unitary electric bell structure, lugs formed onthe base ring of said bell structure and projecting toward each other, asupport, hooks on said support adapted to engage said lugs on the .basering, and springs on said support adapted to force said lugs rigidlyinto. contact with said hooks.

7 The combination of a unitary electric bell structure, lugs formed onthe base ring of said bell structure and projecting toward each other, asupport, hooks on the support adapted to engage said lugs on the basering, and springs carried by said supportand projecting throu hapertures therein rigidly to engage said u s on the base ring.

8. The combination 0 a unitary electric bell structure, lugs formed onthe base ring of said bell structure and projecting toward each other, asupport, hooks on the support adapted to engage said lugs on the basering, a spring tongue carried by but insulated from said support, and aprojection on said bell structure adapted to contact with said springtongue when said bell structure is positioned on its support toestablish One side of an electric circuit to the bell magnet.

9. The combination of a unitary electric bell structure, lugs formed onthe base ring of said bell structure and rojecting toward each other, asupport, hoo s on the support adapted to engage said lugs on the basering, springs on said support adapted to force said lugs into contactwith said hooks,

a spring tongue carried by but insulated support to establish one sideof an electric from said support and projecting at its free circuit tothe bell magnet. end through an aperture in said support, In testimonywhereof I hereunto set my and a projection on said bell structure handthis 2nd day of June, 1916.

5 adapted to contact With said spring tongue when said bell structure ispositioned on its THOS. C. WILLIAMS.

